Why You Don't Need to Be Afraid of Lip Injections Anymore

Between the unfortunate duck lips of yesteryear and the plumped-up pouts favored by today's social media sensations, lip injections have long received a bad rap. "People are frightened of lips," says Elizabeth Houshmand, a Dallas-based dermatologist. "If you have no volume in your face and then you have these giant lips, it's just not pretty."

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Last year the FDA approved Juvéderm Volbella XC, a hyaluronic acid–based lip filler that blends different molecular weights of the naturally occurring compound to increase fullness and lessen the appearance of fine lines around the mouth for up to one year. So while millennials may favor overly augmented lips à la Kylie Jenner, the ability of injectables like Volbella to enhance lips in a way that is neither overdone nor obvious is appealing to women of all ages.

"There is a way to do this very naturally," says Manhattan plastic surgeon Melissa Doft, who has noticed an uptick in professional women in their late thirties and early forties inquiring about lip injections.

Much like the oft-neglected hands and neck, lips can reveal a woman's true age. "Addressing the aging lip is an important part of looking at the lower face in general, which for many people is forgotten entirely," says Karyn Grossman, a dermatologist with offices in New York and Santa Monica. It's not just a loss of volume that has women seeking what Grossman refers to as "lip restoration."

As women age, fine lines develop both on and above the lip, the white border around the lip fades, the Cupid's bow flattens, and the corners of the mouth begin to turn downward, making the face appear older. At her Park Avenue practice, Doft has taken to outlining lips with a small amount of filler to restore a more youthful shape and soften the appearance of fine lines, in the same way women have used lip liner to contour the mouth. It's a technique she calls "the modern lip liner."

"What we're able to do with lip injections is give that definition without needing a liner," she says. "Women now know you can achieve something that is beautiful and understated."

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

This article originally appeared in the March 2017 issue of Town & Country.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.